According to a recent twitter post by renowned journalist and Eurosport.fr football correspondent Manu Lonjon, Premier League giants Chelsea are said to have effectively agreed a deal for the services of Lille’s Brazilian defender Gabriel Magalhaes. The youngster was previously linked with moves to Everton, Arsenal and Tottenham, as has been reported by Sky Sports, but the recent update from the aforementioned French journalist claims that the Blues are a step ahead of the rest.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has brought the sporting world to complete a standstill, football clubs could use this time to try and get some behind-the-scenes business done. A Sky Sports report had previously suggested that the youngster could cost any suitors around £30m to acquire, having joined Lille from Brazilian side Avai for a relatively nominal fee in the region of £1.5m. Manu Lonjon’s tweet clarified that the Blues had in fact pulled ahead of the Toffees in the race for his signature.

Who Are Chelsea’s Current Defensive Options?

One of the main criticisms that Frank Lampard has had to face since the start of the campaign has been his inability to decide on a first-choice defence-line, with the likes of Kurt Zouma, Fikayo Tomori and Andreas Christensen, all being shuffled in the role alongside German stalwart Antonio Rudiger. While the former AS Roma defender has been a regular, his partner at the back is one thing that the manager still seems to be unsure about.

The gaffer began the season with Kurt Zouma and Fikayo Tomori as the starters, owing largely to the fact that Antonio Rudiger was on his way back into the squad from a spell on the sidelines. Once the German returned, Frank Lampard immediately threw him back into the team.

Lille’s Brazilian defender Gabriel dos Santos Magalhaes (R) fights for the ball with Montpellier’s French forward Gaetan Laborde during the French L1 football match between Lille OSC (LOSC) and Montpellier Herault Sport Club (MHSC) at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, on December 13, 2019. (Photo by FRANCOIS LO PRESTI / AFP) (Photo by FRANCOIS LO PRESTI/AFP via Getty Images)

Although he had a positive impact, question marks were being raised about who should be chosen to partner him. After trials with all the options, Lampard seemed to decide to play Andreas Christensen alongside the German.

Why Gabriel Magalhaes Could Be A Stellar Signing For Chelsea?

The 22-year-old Brazilian has been nothing short of sensational this season, with some of the displays he put up against the likes of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe even raising some eyebrows along the way. Despite being young, the defender seems to have an excellent understanding of his positioning and tends to be quite aware of all the little things going on around him. Having featured in 34 fixtures across all competitions, the youngster has even picked up an unlikely goal along the way.

Adept at cutting out crosses into the box and intercepting through balls, the youngster is one of the most promising centre-halves in any European leagues at the moment. For all the positive attributes that he would add to the side, the one thing that stands out is the fact that he’s left-footed. Frank Lampard would surely be aware that the Blues haven’t had a left-footed centre-half since John Terry’s retirement, and that’s probably why the London club have been so rapid in pretty much sealing the deal.

Nikhil has been an avid Chelsea fan for as long as the concept of time has existed and rumours say that he even bleeds blue.

Having lived in the UK for 3 years, Nikhil is said to have an excellent understanding of the atmosphere surrounding the English game. His role model is the greatest manager of all time - Jose Mourinho.

Nikhil has been an avid Chelsea fan for as long as the concept of time has existed and rumours say that he even bleeds blue.
Having lived in the UK for 3 years, Nikhil is said to have an excellent understanding of the atmosphere surrounding the English game. His role model is the greatest manager of all time - Jose Mourinho.

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